Gilles - Key Components in Establishing Successful Cooperative Groups
Groups need to be designed so that children understand how they are to work together, contribute, accept responsibility for completing their part of the task, and assist each other's learning in environment that is supportive of its members.
A group with these elements is referred to as a structured cooperative group, thus without the elements a group is referred to as an unstructured cooperative group or a small group.
Unstructured cooperative groups share many characteristics of the traditional, whole class setting; no goal interdependence ( requirement that students work together to achieve common goal), students working individually or in competition with one another to achieve their own ends, no motivation to act as a group or exercise joint efficacy to solve a problem or accomplish a task, share ideas, or promote each others learning.
Case study - year 1 classroom, 3 students with learning difficulties. Teacher reads story about farm yard animals, animate discussion follows about animals. When discussion dies down students are given clear instructions for the activity that will follow; in groups of 3 children will create a farm yard scenes - each having specific items to draw and paint. Only 1 set of paints and one paintbrush were given per group as to promote communication skills and sharing of resources; they were linked interdependent lily to each-other and the small tasks of the group actiity. Rules are clear: important students helped each other, shared materials, listened to one another and offered suggestions. Emphasis was placed on the need to work together to complete the task and using clear speech and good manners when seeking help for materials. The rules were discussed with students to ensure that they understood what was being modeled and why it was important. Children demonstrated what they would be doing as to ensure everyone understood. Teacher stated she often used cooperative group activities as a way of involving the children to listen to others, consider their ideas, share materials, and reach agreement on what they needed to do to complete the task; skills believed to be essential to participate fully in a classroom. Teacher conveyed enthusiasm. Throughout the task she monitored group activity. She commented she was looking forward to seeing end results, creating an expectation for children. Upon compilation each group presented their work, and each group member discussed. This enabled students to give a recount of the story and the process of their work. This engaged the students in group processing, monitoring what they did and how they did it; they were thinking megacognitively thus developing deeper understanding.
Positive Interdependence - being part of a group and having a dual responsibility; complete your won goal/role with group task and see that all other members also achieve theirs. - exists when all group members are linked together in such a way that one cannot exceed unless the others do, and they must coordinate their efforts to ensure that everyone completes his or her specific goal. -It is stated that when students and not in a group that works interdependently that they will work in competition with one another or solely to achieve their own goals, not that of the groups.
Types of interdependence Outcomes interdependence- exist when students are striving to achieve a goal or reward for their efforts Means interdependence-students need to share their resources, To fulfill different roles, or to complete tasks in order to achieve the group's goal.
Promotive interaction- involves the students encouraging and facilitating each other's efforts as they work together. Students provide information and assistance, constructive feedback to help improve performance, and access to resources and materials need to complete the task.
Relation to co-constructivism and discussion!: when children dialogue together, they learn to use language to explain their ideas and experiences, negotiate meeting around the task, and about new ways of thinking and behaving that they may not have previously considered. Giving help encourages reorganization and clarification that may help the person explaining to understand the material better and construct more elaborative cognitive understandings that he or she held previously.
Teachers can facilitate children's interaction in groups by ensuring that they sit in close proximity to other group members so they can hear what is being said, see each other's faces, and participate in discussions with their peers. When children are enabled this opportunity to engage with their peers they learn to read each other's non-verbal body language, respond to each other social cues, and engage in verbal repartee about the work they are completing.See page 38 (11) of PDF for activities on Promotive interaction
Individual accountability- Great members accepting personal responsibility for their contributions for attaining the groups goal. Includes not only ensuring one completes their own goal but also seeing that the entire group with their goals. It is suggested that When positive interdependence is well structured in a group, members of the more personally responsible for contributing to the collective efforts and be less likely to freeload off the efforts of others. Positive interdependence creates a shared responsibility that helps individuals within a group realise that they accountable for their efforts. See page 12 for specialized activities.
Interpersonal and small group skills- skills which must be taught explicitly if children are to benefit from a small group experiences.Skills that facilitate student interactions are as follow:Interpersonal skills- actively listening to each other, stating ideas freely, accepting responsibility for one's behaviours and providing constructive criticism.Small groups skills- taking turns, sharing tasks, making decisions democratically, trying to understand the other person's perspective and clarifying differences.
If children are still call quite way to achieve a mutual goals they must get to know each other and trust each other communicate accurately accept and support each other resolve conflicts constructively.
Children must be taught these interpersonal and small-group skills and must be motivated to use them. Providing students with feedback on how they use the skills helps to create more positive relationships and also helps to increase student achievements.Specific activity examples in page 15 of PDF.
Group Processing- critically important for student learning as it allows members to discuss how well they are achieving their goals and maintain effective working relationships. Involves the students ensuring that everyone in the group is engaged in one of the three social skills are
a) summarising group members Ideas,
b) encouraging members to participate in group discussions and
c) checking to ensure that decisions made by the group were supported by the members. -exercises megacognitive thinking which in turn increases members abilities to achieve, group processing assisting members to gain insight into how to behave more effectively, and feedback and social skills. Also helps to develop and maintain good working relationships, cooperative learning skills and to receive constructive feedback of contribution and participation and provides an opportunity to celebrate success of group. Specific practical activities, see page 18 of PDF.
Evaluation table to assess group processes on page 19.
How long should students work in cooperative groups?...
-Positive closure required at completion of task.
-Group members bond and form attachments that can be hard to break. This is because as a group identity evolves, members pass through a variety of stages that progressively help them to gain sense of who they are and what they can do. They go through five stages: forming- characterized by members experiencing some uncertainty as they begin to realise what they have to do. storming- group members experience some tension as they work through ideas of accomplishing task.norming- performing- members settle down and work towards achieving task adjourning - (mourning stage) achievement is made. Members can become saddened as they part.
Be aware that some may be sad by their partings. Help them to transition from group works by allowing formal and informal opportunities for students to work together in different tasks across the day so that contact is maintained.
In many CL situations grounds tend to not longer than 4-6 weeks.
Children gain cognitively and socially from peer-mediated learning experiences. -CL produces positive outcomes in both learning and motivation.
Low-Ability CHildrenStudies have shown all children benefit however children who are of low ability emerge as those who derived maximum benefit for their cooperative learning experiences, both socially and academically.
Affective Development- CL experiences enhance development of positive social attitudes towards other group members including those with emotional and Behaviour disorders, enhances motivation to learn and promotes positive attitudes towards school.
What is CL?-CHildren working together to achieve common goals.
-interdependence motivating students to help and support each other's endeavors.
-working cooperatively teaches children to learn to give and receive help, listen to other's ideas and perspectives, reconcile differences and resolve problems democratically.
-groups must be structured to ensure students work interdependently-once students understand they are linked interdependently and they mustncoordinatetheirmefforts as to achieve they will use Interpersonal and small group skills to facilitate their efforts.
Teachers Role
-being aware of how to structure CL groups including size and composition
- setting appropriate type of task-making clear and appropriate expectations to students and ensuring these are understood.
-ensuring all students know their individual and group responsibilities-monitor both process and outcomes of the group experiences. 1. Structure: key components are evident (positive interdependence, Promotive interaction, individual accountability, interpersonal and small group skills, and group processing) 2. Group Size, ability and gender compositions- 3-4 is preferable to larger groups as larger groups tend to be less personal and students participate less. Small ensures inclusivity. Low ability children learn more in mixed ability groups, medium ability learned more in mixed homogenous groups. High ability learnt is all. Low ability benefit from mentoring of their high ability peers. Some studies (though limited) state that females do not benefit from homogenous groups as they are either ignored by males (in groups where females are a minority) or they may ignore their female peers. For this reason Webb suggests that groups should be gender balanced or all-female. In contrast, another study found the effects of different abilities and gender compositions on members Behaviour and interactions were minimal. 3. Set task to ensure all students interact together. Some tasks require minimal discussion and exchange of ideas between students. Stud ts need to interact about the process and to discuss planning, decision making and the allocation of jobs. Tasks are often open and discovery based with no set procedures or steps to follow or solution to follow encouraging students to work together and problem solve. 4. Ensure tasks set includes all students- appropriate modifications are made to tasks to ensure that all students, including those with learning difficulties, disabilities and challenging behaviours are able to participate. Students with emotional and social implications may benefit from work within pairs which leads to group work. 5. Inform the class of the group expectations and discuss with them clear expectations of acceptable Behaviour, including task focused behaviors and inetrpersonal behaviors. -through a class discussion generate a list of rights and responsibilities and behaviors. Also, teachers need to be aware of group dynamics. Know your students to know who can and can't work together effectively. 6. Students need to understand that they have responsibilities both to themselves and their group members when they work together. Each student is responsible for completing their individual task and for sharing their information with their peers. Students can be each given a role (not imperative, can be negotiated) 7. Students need to be taught to monitor the groups progress including their own contributions, as well as how well the group is maintaining effective working relationships. Questions should be asked to one's self and to their group. These questions encourage megacognitive thinking about their own learning as well as hope others contribute.
Children engaging in group processing learn to review their contributions, receive feedback, develop more precise understandings of what they know and what they need to learn and develop learning plans. Group processing sharpens student's awareness of what is happening and allows them to see they can be active in decisions they make.
Groups need to be designed so that children understand how they are to work together, contribute, accept responsibility for completing their part of the task, and assist each other's learning in environment that is supportive of its members.
A group with these elements is referred to as a structured cooperative group, thus without the elements a group is referred to as an unstructured cooperative group or a small group.
Unstructured cooperative groups share many characteristics of the traditional, whole class setting; no goal interdependence ( requirement that students work together to achieve common goal), students working individually or in competition with one another to achieve their own ends, no motivation to act as a group or exercise joint efficacy to solve a problem or accomplish a task, share ideas, or promote each others learning.
Case study - year 1 classroom, 3 students with learning difficulties. Teacher reads story about farm yard animals, animate discussion follows about animals. When discussion dies down students are given clear instructions for the activity that will follow; in groups of 3 children will create a farm yard scenes - each having specific items to draw and paint. Only 1 set of paints and one paintbrush were given per group as to promote communication skills and sharing of resources; they were linked interdependent lily to each-other and the small tasks of the group actiity. Rules are clear: important students helped each other, shared materials, listened to one another and offered suggestions. Emphasis was placed on the need to work together to complete the task and using clear speech and good manners when seeking help for materials. The rules were discussed with students to ensure that they understood what was being modeled and why it was important. Children demonstrated what they would be doing as to ensure everyone understood. Teacher stated she often used cooperative group activities as a way of involving the children to listen to others, consider their ideas, share materials, and reach agreement on what they needed to do to complete the task; skills believed to be essential to participate fully in a classroom. Teacher conveyed enthusiasm. Throughout the task she monitored group activity. She commented she was looking forward to seeing end results, creating an expectation for children. Upon compilation each group presented their work, and each group member discussed. This enabled students to give a recount of the story and the process of their work. This engaged the students in group processing, monitoring what they did and how they did it; they were thinking megacognitively thus developing deeper understanding.
Positive Interdependence - being part of a group and having a dual responsibility; complete your won goal/role with group task and see that all other members also achieve theirs. - exists when all group members are linked together in such a way that one cannot exceed unless the others do, and they must coordinate their efforts to ensure that everyone completes his or her specific goal. -It is stated that when students and not in a group that works interdependently that they will work in competition with one another or solely to achieve their own goals, not that of the groups.
Types of interdependence
Outcomes interdependence- exist when students are striving to achieve a goal or reward for their efforts
Means interdependence-students need to share their resources, To fulfill different roles, or to complete tasks in order to achieve the group's goal.
Promotive interaction- involves the students encouraging and facilitating each other's efforts as they work together. Students provide information and assistance, constructive feedback to help improve performance, and access to resources and materials need to complete the task.
Relation to co-constructivism and discussion!: when children dialogue together, they learn to use language to explain their ideas and experiences, negotiate meeting around the task, and about new ways of thinking and behaving that they may not have previously considered. Giving help encourages reorganization and clarification that may help the person explaining to understand the material better and construct more elaborative cognitive understandings that he or she held previously.
Teachers can facilitate children's interaction in groups by ensuring that they sit in close proximity to other group members so they can hear what is being said, see each other's faces, and participate in discussions with their peers. When children are enabled this opportunity to engage with their peers they learn to read each other's non-verbal body language, respond to each other social cues, and engage in verbal repartee about the work they are completing.See page 38 (11) of PDF for activities on Promotive interaction
Individual accountability- Great members accepting personal responsibility for their contributions for attaining the groups goal. Includes not only ensuring one completes their own goal but also seeing that the entire group with their goals. It is suggested that When positive interdependence is well structured in a group, members of the more personally responsible for contributing to the collective efforts and be less likely to freeload off the efforts of others. Positive interdependence creates a shared responsibility that helps individuals within a group realise that they accountable for their efforts. See page 12 for specialized activities.
Interpersonal and small group skills- skills which must be taught explicitly if children are to benefit from a small group experiences.Skills that facilitate student interactions are as follow:Interpersonal skills- actively listening to each other, stating ideas freely, accepting responsibility for one's behaviours and providing constructive criticism.Small groups skills- taking turns, sharing tasks, making decisions democratically, trying to understand the other person's perspective and clarifying differences.
If children are still call quite way to achieve a mutual goals they must get to know each other and trust each other communicate accurately accept and support each other resolve conflicts constructively.
Children must be taught these interpersonal and small-group skills and must be motivated to use them. Providing students with feedback on how they use the skills helps to create more positive relationships and also helps to increase student achievements.Specific activity examples in page 15 of PDF.
Group Processing- critically important for student learning as it allows members to discuss how well they are achieving their goals and maintain effective working relationships. Involves the students ensuring that everyone in the group is engaged in one of the three social skills are
a) summarising group members Ideas,
b) encouraging members to participate in group discussions and
c) checking to ensure that decisions made by the group were supported by the members. -exercises megacognitive thinking which in turn increases members abilities to achieve, group processing assisting members to gain insight into how to behave more effectively, and feedback and social skills. Also helps to develop and maintain good working relationships, cooperative learning skills and to receive constructive feedback of contribution and participation and provides an opportunity to celebrate success of group. Specific practical activities, see page 18 of PDF.
Evaluation table to assess group processes on page 19.
How long should students work in cooperative groups?...
-Positive closure required at completion of task.
-Group members bond and form attachments that can be hard to break. This is because as a group identity evolves, members pass through a variety of stages that progressively help them to gain sense of who they are and what they can do. They go through five stages: forming- characterized by members experiencing some uncertainty as they begin to realise what they have to do. storming- group members experience some tension as they work through ideas of accomplishing task.norming- performing- members settle down and work towards achieving task adjourning - (mourning stage) achievement is made. Members can become saddened as they part.
Be aware that some may be sad by their partings. Help them to transition from group works by allowing formal and informal opportunities for students to work together in different tasks across the day so that contact is maintained.
In many CL situations grounds tend to not longer than 4-6 weeks.
Children gain cognitively and socially from peer-mediated learning experiences. -CL produces positive outcomes in both learning and motivation.
Low-Ability CHildrenStudies have shown all children benefit however children who are of low ability emerge as those who derived maximum benefit for their cooperative learning experiences, both socially and academically.
Affective Development- CL experiences enhance development of positive social attitudes towards other group members including those with emotional and Behaviour disorders, enhances motivation to learn and promotes positive attitudes towards school.
What is CL?-CHildren working together to achieve common goals.
-interdependence motivating students to help and support each other's endeavors.
-working cooperatively teaches children to learn to give and receive help, listen to other's ideas and perspectives, reconcile differences and resolve problems democratically.
-groups must be structured to ensure students work interdependently-once students understand they are linked interdependently and they mustncoordinatetheirmefforts as to achieve they will use Interpersonal and small group skills to facilitate their efforts.
Teachers Role
-being aware of how to structure CL groups including size and composition
- setting appropriate type of task-making clear and appropriate expectations to students and ensuring these are understood.
-ensuring all students know their individual and group responsibilities-monitor both process and outcomes of the group experiences.
1. Structure: key components are evident (positive interdependence, Promotive interaction, individual accountability, interpersonal and small group skills, and group processing)
2. Group Size, ability and gender compositions- 3-4 is preferable to larger groups as larger groups tend to be less personal and students participate less. Small ensures inclusivity. Low ability children learn more in mixed ability groups, medium ability learned more in mixed homogenous groups. High ability learnt is all. Low ability benefit from mentoring of their high ability peers. Some studies (though limited) state that females do not benefit from homogenous groups as they are either ignored by males (in groups where females are a minority) or they may ignore their female peers. For this reason Webb suggests that groups should be gender balanced or all-female. In contrast, another study found the effects of different abilities and gender compositions on members Behaviour and interactions were minimal.
3. Set task to ensure all students interact together. Some tasks require minimal discussion and exchange of ideas between students. Stud ts need to interact about the process and to discuss planning, decision making and the allocation of jobs. Tasks are often open and discovery based with no set procedures or steps to follow or solution to follow encouraging students to work together and problem solve.
4. Ensure tasks set includes all students- appropriate modifications are made to tasks to ensure that all students, including those with learning difficulties, disabilities and challenging behaviours are able to participate. Students with emotional and social implications may benefit from work within pairs which leads to group work.
5. Inform the class of the group expectations and discuss with them clear expectations of acceptable Behaviour, including task focused behaviors and inetrpersonal behaviors. -through a class discussion generate a list of rights and responsibilities and behaviors. Also, teachers need to be aware of group dynamics. Know your students to know who can and can't work together effectively.
6. Students need to understand that they have responsibilities both to themselves and their group members when they work together. Each student is responsible for completing their individual task and for sharing their information with their peers. Students can be each given a role (not imperative, can be negotiated)
7. Students need to be taught to monitor the groups progress including their own contributions, as well as how well the group is maintaining effective working relationships. Questions should be asked to one's self and to their group. These questions encourage megacognitive thinking about their own learning as well as hope others contribute.
Children engaging in group processing learn to review their contributions, receive feedback, develop more precise understandings of what they know and what they need to learn and develop learning plans. Group processing sharpens student's awareness of what is happening and allows them to see they can be active in decisions they make.